How Online Poker Can Improve Your Game

Despite the common misconceptions about gambling, you will notice that its effects are actually more on the positive side. It will absolutely benefit your brain and social life. Of course, a boys’ night out (or a girls’ night out) is something that your significant other may not understand, but rest assured, a poker night with close friends or family members is healthy for you. In fact, researchers from The University of Queensland in Australia found out that people who do communal activities together (such as playing poker with the gang over the weekend), or those who belong to a large group, often cope better when faced with challenges.

Another study suggests that poker can relieve stress; the folks from the McGill University in Canada were amazed by their findings when they saw a significant drop of cortisol levels (also known as the “stress hormone”) observed from a group of online poker players. Are you getting the picture yet? So before you clean up your den, dust those poker chips and Bicycle cards and prepare some of your famous hot wings, it’s best to refresh your gaming strategies and skills with a couple of rounds online. If you don’t have a posse to play with (when they’re probably stuck at work or with the missus), no need to worry because you can join the different chat rooms and meet new friends so that you can organize your very own poker night. You can also get some valuable tips on how to bluff in No Limit Hold ‘Em and get pointers from partypoker‘s professional poker players such as Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth and David Negreanu. If you observe closely these professional players at the World Series of Poker or The European Poker Tour you’ll realize that they aren’t stressed out at all, but they are patiently mustering all their focus and strength along with their superior analytical skills before going in for the kill. It’s actually like having superpowers.

So what exactly happens to your brain as you play poker? The cognitive functioning of your brain is greatly enhanced and improved and you will react slightly quicker than usual. Your learning curve is definitely at its peak because you are constantly absorbing, learning, re-learning and strategizing different poker skills which are a great form of exercise for your brain. Your social skills are also put to good use as you share your passion with others. Obviously, the benefits are immense and can do wonders for your health and well-being, and did I mention, that you can also win a lot of money?